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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to resent my mother-in-law staying four weeks after my C-section?

294 replies

Dougiesmaw · 18/04/2026 05:53

FTM 4 weeks post C-section

MIL has came to visit from South of England for a week to stay in our marital home. She is 92 (had DH when she was older). As her only Son, he has adopted a caring role for her when he goes home to visit. She is very good for her age but obviously frail. Their relationship appears codependent and very, very odd. He is 50.

AIBU to feel this was too soon for her to come?, I feel terrible being angry about it and feeling they have both been selfish. I have not been able to establish breast feeding, walking about in my underwear at home with post partum night sweats. I have barely slept obviously. She does nothing except make comments about me over feeding him, he is too cold, are you sure his breathing is OK. Hysterical at everything. (She has a lifelong history of being a drama queen). I am thankful I have some medical background as if I was an anxious FTM she would have had me completely wound up. She continually asks if he is medically OK, she somehow thinks at 4 weeks old he has no signs of autism.

She asked if he ‘actually has any clothes that fit him’ - I explained he is 4 weeks old so is quite small still. She seems utterly bamboozled when he stirs or cries. I asked if she remembered her own Son when he was a newborn to put his presentation into context; to which she says she does not recall - she just put his pram out in the porch and let him cry.

It explains why my husband only got married in his late 40’s, had a strange attachment pattern and never had a girlfriend before me in all honesty.

She was crying the other morning saying ‘she should not have come’, to which I obviously said it was OK - her tears dried up immediately following this - I felt her immediately transformation from sad vulnerable old woman to smiling broadly was quite manipulative. Her tears were the last thing I needed post partum. Post C section, still bleeding and still needing regular analgesia.

Yesterday I was making cups of tea for her whilst she was sitting on the sofa. My husband and her both slept in until 10 whilst I was up with baby.

I am absolutely furious with them both for putting me in this situation, I feel this is not a fucking holiday home for entertainment - it is a recovery from childbirth and establishing a routine. My question is AIBU?

She has form for this; when we got married she stayed in our new marital home for a week after the wedding making it exceptionally awkward for me to come and visit and move in from my own home. She was apparently crying to my new husband about how she was going to lose him as a Son. I did have patience and empathy then but my post partum expierence has resulted in this wearing thin. I think they are both selfish morons.

OP posts:
Loadsapandas · 18/04/2026 06:02

Congratulations on baby!

Why did your DH allow this? How was this discussed between you and with his mum?
He needs to take her back home.
or can you stay with your family instead?

MinnieMountain · 18/04/2026 06:04

I completely agree that they are both selfish morons OP. I'm amazed that anyone has voted otherwise.

TobaccoFlower · 18/04/2026 06:08

MinnieMountain · 18/04/2026 06:04

I completely agree that they are both selfish morons OP. I'm amazed that anyone has voted otherwise.

Me too. Hopefully they mean OP is unreasonable to have not put her foot down earlier

Dougiesmaw · 18/04/2026 06:08

Loadsapandas · 18/04/2026 06:02

Congratulations on baby!

Why did your DH allow this? How was this discussed between you and with his mum?
He needs to take her back home.
or can you stay with your family instead?

She invited herself apparently. I want to take my baby and go to a hotel! 🤣

OP posts:
TobaccoFlower · 18/04/2026 06:10

She has to go OP. Ignore manipulative tears.

Dougiesmaw · 18/04/2026 06:12

TobaccoFlower · 18/04/2026 06:10

She has to go OP. Ignore manipulative tears.

PIt is a sinking reality that this could be my life several times a year from now on.

OP posts:
Rubycat6 · 18/04/2026 06:12

They do sound selfish but I don't think thinking about it will be helpful to you.

You should line an absolute hero and a very kind and caring person to let your MIL stay. They may not acknowledge how good it is of you - but please hear me that it's very good of you.. also, the newborn phase can be difficult and not as expected for lots of mums. I'm saying this in case you feel like you've missed out - I know I did and it haunted me for a whe. If that isn't you, please ignore the below! Most Mums I know had something go very different to what they hoped - I couldn't breastfeed and also had MIL issues, friends found babies were very allergic to their pets and giving the pets away wasn't enough, I know several Mums who had babies who wouldn't sleep for more than an hour beyond age 1. .

Londonrach1 · 18/04/2026 06:13

Your husband needs to step up here and be the dad and husband he should be. She needs to return home so you can relax in your own home. Yanbu

Dougiesmaw · 18/04/2026 06:14

Rubycat6 · 18/04/2026 06:12

They do sound selfish but I don't think thinking about it will be helpful to you.

You should line an absolute hero and a very kind and caring person to let your MIL stay. They may not acknowledge how good it is of you - but please hear me that it's very good of you.. also, the newborn phase can be difficult and not as expected for lots of mums. I'm saying this in case you feel like you've missed out - I know I did and it haunted me for a whe. If that isn't you, please ignore the below! Most Mums I know had something go very different to what they hoped - I couldn't breastfeed and also had MIL issues, friends found babies were very allergic to their pets and giving the pets away wasn't enough, I know several Mums who had babies who wouldn't sleep for more than an hour beyond age 1. .

I did not have a choice regarding her staying it was pushed onto me. It is making me wuite resentful

OP posts:
moose62 · 18/04/2026 06:14

Have you got any family that you could go and stay peacefully with for a week or so?

Have you asked DH to take his mother home and stay with her for a while?

Is he helping at all?
Would you feel more comfortable with both of them out of the way?

I has similar with my MIL after the birth of my first child. No help, expected to be waited on and constantly questioned me. Luckily, it was only 4 days....I went to my mum's and told my DH to deal with her. Very luckily, he did.

Glowingup · 18/04/2026 06:20

Dougiesmaw · 18/04/2026 06:12

PIt is a sinking reality that this could be my life several times a year from now on.

Realistically it won’t be as she’s unlikely to live for more than about another three years or so and probably won’t be in a state to travel independently soon. For the sake of avoiding an argument I’d grin and bear it and say you’re not feeling well and leave your DH to it. He sounds odd by the way but as above, the mum problem will soon be over.

PersephoneParlormaid · 18/04/2026 06:23

I’m glad you’ve noticed that it’s not MIL who is the only problem, at least she will go home at some point.

MyOtherProfile · 18/04/2026 06:28

Can you afford a couple of nights in a hotel with room service? If so I would book it and leave before they get up this morning. Write a letter explaining that you are in recovery after a major operation and looking after a newborn and since you're not getting help and support from DH since he has to care for his mum you have gone away for a break.

Iocanepowder · 18/04/2026 06:31

Regardless of the background, i have voted YANBU on the basis that she is not actually helping you recover or giving any practical help by the sounds lf it. Therefore she should not have come.

I had 2 c sections and very much needed practical help, and my MIL did come to stay, but we get on well and she was an amazing help.

TobaccoFlower · 18/04/2026 06:35

I would have found it a hassle dealing with bottles in a hotel with no fridge in the room. You should be able to be in your own home with your dh helping and no MIL.

PollyBell · 18/04/2026 06:37

Dougiesmaw · 18/04/2026 06:12

PIt is a sinking reality that this could be my life several times a year from now on.

But she has always been like this and he has been like this before you conceived and I presume married so it cant be a surprise

All you can do is communicate with him

ThejoyofNC · 18/04/2026 06:37

The results of marrying a mummy's boy. If you want change then make it happen yourself because the pair of them will never stop. Tell her to leave.

beAsensible1 · 18/04/2026 06:41

Honestly she’s 92. I’d just smile and nod and spend as much time visiting your own family when she comes.

the max this can last is what 5 - 7 years?

thepariscrimefiles · 18/04/2026 06:42

You need to stop waiting on her for a start. She can make her own cups of tea.

Your husband is a massive problem if he thinks it's fine for him to never get up in the night and to sleep in until 10 am. Dealing with this sort of behaviour is often a trigger for post-natal depression in new mums.

You will find it hard to get over his selfishness and lack of care for you and his own child, putting his narcissistic mother first all the time. It would make me re-think my marriage and seriously consider whether bringing up my child would be much easier on my own.

Dougiesmaw · 18/04/2026 06:43

My instincts ranges from grin and bear it, to staying in a hotel, to getting a divorce 🤣 husbands been as hopeless as her. Its given me a huge insight into the reality of who I have married, and I would never have another child with him.

OP posts:
Dougiesmaw · 18/04/2026 06:44

thepariscrimefiles · 18/04/2026 06:42

You need to stop waiting on her for a start. She can make her own cups of tea.

Your husband is a massive problem if he thinks it's fine for him to never get up in the night and to sleep in until 10 am. Dealing with this sort of behaviour is often a trigger for post-natal depression in new mums.

You will find it hard to get over his selfishness and lack of care for you and his own child, putting his narcissistic mother first all the time. It would make me re-think my marriage and seriously consider whether bringing up my child would be much easier on my own.

You have summarised exactly how I feel, and I have already seriously considered it woukd be easier alone.

OP posts:
Beaniebobbins · 18/04/2026 06:49

What does the future look like OP? The woman is 92 but lives far away. Will he be caring for her more as she gets older or will she be moving closer to you or even in with you. He will never prioritise you and your child over his mother. He will never say no to her. Whenever you try to establish a healthy boundary you will be chastised as the problem. I was in a similar situation. I did insist on a hotel so got to breastfeed in peace but it did not solve the problem. The woman hounded anyone who would listen for years about how horrible I was because I made her stay in a hotel.

you are not the problem here OP, but there is no easy solution.

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TikTok - Make Your Day

https://www.tiktok.com/@narcabusecoach/video/7622874983152274718

Dougiesmaw · 18/04/2026 06:52

Beaniebobbins · 18/04/2026 06:49

What does the future look like OP? The woman is 92 but lives far away. Will he be caring for her more as she gets older or will she be moving closer to you or even in with you. He will never prioritise you and your child over his mother. He will never say no to her. Whenever you try to establish a healthy boundary you will be chastised as the problem. I was in a similar situation. I did insist on a hotel so got to breastfeed in peace but it did not solve the problem. The woman hounded anyone who would listen for years about how horrible I was because I made her stay in a hotel.

you are not the problem here OP, but there is no easy solution.

https://www.tiktok.com/@narcabusecoach/video/7622874983152274718

My instinct is if I send her away or make her stay at a hotel - or I go and stay at a hotel she will create complete hysteria and the melodrama will be exponential.

I already got a brief glimpse with her tears the other morning - complete fucking moron. She must think I am buttoned up the back to fall for it. The massive narcissist smile when I said dont cry its OK to stay - she obviously knew she had over stepped and I was RAGING

OP posts:
TurtleGroove · 18/04/2026 06:54

I’m worried you’re getting a flash forward here to who your husband might rapidly become as he ages also. You don’t say how old you are - but I am worried you are being set up for a lifetime of carrying to load and being a carer, rather than co-parenting as a couple.

You deserve so much better than this from your husband 4 weeks after birth.

Shayisgreat · 18/04/2026 06:54

My husband did the same thing after I had my DS. Luckily my MIL was generally helpful (but very critical) and left after 6 days because she picked up that I wasn't happy about this arrangement. I've resented H since then - our marriage is unhappy.

If you want to stay with him, you need to nip this in the bud so he can show you he values you and the family he has created more than his mum.

The sleeping in til 10am is ridiculous. He should be falling over himself to make sure you're OK.